After trailing for most of the first period, the University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team captured a 3-2 lead before the first intermission and never looked back to defeat Miami University (Ohio) 7-2 inside the Goggin Ice Center in Oxford, Ohio.

 

The win runs the Bulldogs back to .500 on the season with a record of 5-5 and 2-2 in the National College Hockey Conference and marks a season-high effort for goals (7).

 

After the RedHawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead with tallies at 7:41 and 14:04 of the first period, UMD struck three times in under two minutes to take a 3-2 lead – one that it would never relinquish. It started with Jayson Shaugabay's fifth goal of the season, followed by Ty Hanson's first goal as a Bulldog at the 17:43 mark. Anthony Menghini bookended the first frame scoring with the eventual game-winner at 18:33, and just like that, UMD had taken control of the game.

 
 

Here's Hanson's FIRST goal as a Bulldog! pic.twitter.com/E5Q5pWpsyo

— UMD Men's Hockey (@UMDMensHockey) November 17, 2024

This guy has FIVE goals in his last four games ?? pic.twitter.com/rKAvVZMLXB

— UMD Men's Hockey (@UMDMensHockey) November 17, 2024

Menghini, on a scoring spree of epic proportions over his last four games (six goals in all), struck again, his second multiple goal game over the same span, at 4:28 of the second period. Menghini buried a pass from Dominic James on the doorstep for his seventh goal of the season. Less than four minutes later, Carter Loney added his second goal of the series in his home state to make it a 5-2 game, and by the time rookie forward Blake Bechen netted his first career goal just 21 seconds after Loney, the route was well on.

 

Bechen's first as a Bulldog! pic.twitter.com/pfclKJrdyE

— UMD Men's Hockey (@UMDMensHockey) November 17, 2024

Bechen added the second goal of his collegiate career for good measure late in the third period with 2:29 left in regulation to secure the 7-2 win and series sweep for the Bulldogs.

 

Adam Gajan had 18 stops for UMD, who outshot Miami 32-20 in the contest. Five players had two or more points on the night, including Zam Plante, who had three assists in a team-best effort. Hanson (1g, 1a), Bechen (2g), James (2a), and Menghini (2g).

 

The Bulldogs return to AMSOIL Arena next weekend to face Western Michigan University on Friday and Saturday. The series gets underway Friday at 7:07 p.m. and concludes Saturday at 5:00 p.m.


BULLDOG NOTES: Blake Bechen and Ty Hanson weren't the only Bulldogs to log firsts Saturday night ... defenseman Adam Kleber picked up his first collegiate point and assist on a helper to Anthony Menghini's goal in the third period,